Underwater sightseeing in a glass submarine, shopping with a chef for
dinner ingredients and volunteering with locals: These are some of the
new options this season for cruise passengers.

Also in 2016
from the cruise industry, Royal Caribbean launches the world’s largest
ship, and a new ship from Carnival features a biking track suspended
high above the water. And for cruisers with deep pockets, luxuries range
from round-the-clock personal assistants to long-term leases for
residences at sea.

Here are some details and other cruise news.

The submarine, voluntourism and more

Crystal
Cruises has just launched Crystal Esprit, a 62-guest yacht that offers
among its excursions a ride in a submersible vessel. The underwater
excursions take place near the Seychelles islands in winter and on the
Adriatic Coast in spring and summer. The glass capsule holds two people
and a captain. Thirty-minute rides are US$599 per person.

Later
this year, Crystal launches a yacht for river cruising in Europe,
Crystal Mozart, with four more river yachts in 2017. Crystal is also
getting into the airplane business with charter flights on four jets
connecting to trips by ship and on land. And later this year Crystal
launches residences at sea, with long-term leases for staterooms on
three new ocean vessels, prices to be determined.

Fathom, a new
brand from Carnival Corp, offers “voluntourism” trips to the Dominican
Republic in April and to Cuba in May. Carnival is still negotiating
details on the Cuba trips with the Cuban government but tickets are on
sale. Passengers will work with locals on everything from learning
English to reforestation, while immersing themselves in the culture.

New
from Celebrity Cruises: Passengers on certain sailings in the Caribbean
and Europe are participating in the Chef Market Discoveries program, in
which they shop with chefs in local markets for ingredients used in the
meals they’ll eat onboard that night.

New from Princess Cruises:
Chocolate Journeys with chocolate-infused menus and other treats
designed by chocolatier Norman Love, plus menus by celebrity chef Curtis
Stone, on-deck stargazing in a partnership with Discovery Channel, and a
magic show and musical revue, “Magic to Do,” with music by Broadway
composer Stephen Schwartz of “Wicked” and “Godspell” fame.

Disney
Cruise Line features a “Star Wars” day on each of eight Disney Fantasy
ship sailings in the Western Caribbean beginning this month, with “Star
Wars” characters, activities and themed celebrations. In June, the
Disney Magic ship will sail its first British Isles itinerary, to
Scotland, England and Ireland.

Biking in the sky, dogs onboard

In
June, Royal Caribbean launches what will be the world’s largest ship,
Harmony of the Seas, with a capacity of 5,479 passengers. Harmony will
feature “neighborhood” areas already found on other Royal Caribbean
ships, including Central Park and Boardwalk. Harmony will also have
robot bartenders, a mini-golf course, surfing on a FlowRider machine,
waterslides, a zip line and, for guests who need their every whim
catered to, round-the-clock personal assistants called Royal Genies.

Another new Royal Caribbean ship, Ovation of the Seas, debuts in April, designed primarily for service in China.

Carnival
Cruise Line launches its largest ship in May, Carnival Vista, which can
carry 3,954 people based on two per cabin. Vista’s showcase attraction,
SkyRide, lets guests cycle on bikes suspended from an 800-foot long
track, 20 feet above the top deck and 150 feet above the water. Vista
will also have an onboard brewery and a 455-foot-long tube slide.

Holland
America Line debuts the Koningsdam in April, with staterooms for
families and for singles; a theater with two-story-high, 270-degree LED
screens, and music options ranging from B.B. King’s Blues Club to
nightly chamber music. HAL is also collaborating with a travel planning
service called Utrip so guests can go online and create customized shore
itineraries.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Escape, debuted
in the fall of 2015 with an urban craft beer hall, Mondavi wine bar, a
Margaritaville and a tapas bar. Norwegian is also introducing a new
“Free at Sea” promotion inviting guests to pick a free amenity from four
options: a beverage package, specialty dining package, excursion
credits or WiFi package.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer launches in
July with the US$10,000-a-night super-luxurious Regent Suite, complete
with private spa and grand piano. Despite the price tag, the suite is
already sold out for its entire first season.

Viking, once known
just for river cruises, is launching the second of its ocean-going
ships, Viking Sea, in April, a sister ship to Viking Star, launched last
year.

Seabourn expects its first new ship in five years, Seabourn
Encore, to be delivered in December for a January 2017 launch. The ship
will have all-suite staterooms and a Thomas Keller restaurant.

And
Cunard is renovating the Queen Mary 2, adding staterooms for solo
travelers and expanding the number of onboard kennels where guests are
permitted to keep their dogs. The QM2 will be out of service for the
redo from May 27 to June 21. Looking ahead to 2017, the Queen Victoria
will become the largest ship to ever navigate the Amazon, on Cunard’s
first voyage to that part of the world.